Dust-guard for railway journal-boxes.



No. 669,550. Patented Mar. I2, 1901.

.1. ROGERS.

DUST GI IARD FOR RAILWAY .IUURNAL BOXES.

(Application filed July 9, 1900.) (lo Modal.)

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JOHN ROGERS, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

DUST-GUARD FOR RAILWAY JOURNAL-BOXES.

XSPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 669,550, dated March 12, 1901.

Application filed. July 9, 1900. Serial No. 22,911. (No model.)

To (6 whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN ROGERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, Wyandotte county, Kansas, have invented a new and useful Dust-Guard for Railway Journal-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to dust-guards for railway journal-boxes; and one object is to provide a dust-guard which is adapted for efficient use in journal-boxes of any style or proportion.

A further object is to produce a dust-guard of simple, strong, durable, and cheap construction.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel and peculiar features of construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section ofa journal-box provided with a dust-guard embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged perspective views of the parts of the dust-guard detached.

In the drawings, 1 designates the end of a car'axle, 2 the journal-box in which said end projects and is journaled, and 3 the customary internal flange arranged parallel with the inner end of the journal-box, so as to form the interposed dust-guard chamber or space 4.

My improved dust-guard is constructed as follows:

5 6 designate plates of suitable material and ofsubstantially the same configuration as the dust-guard chamber and provided centrally with the registering holes 7, arranged to fit snugly on the journal. Near their side margins, by preference, the opposing faces of the plates are provided with parallel grooves 8, and pins 9 are arranged in and near the ends of said grooves.

An expansive spring consists of two semielliptical springs 10, arranged with their convex sides together and riveted in such position near their middle, as shown at 11, the end of each arm of the spring being provided with a slot 12. One of these springs is arranged at. each side of the journal, with its ends fitting in the opposing or companion grooves 8 and upon pins 9, so as to hold plates 5 and 6 pressed yieldingly apa t, said springs holding the plates sufficiently farapart to ac commodate the widest dust-guard chamber made.

The adjustable element of the dust-guard, which is depended upon to prevent the access of dust to the journal, consists of two similar plates or blocks 13, provided with semicircular notches it in their opposing edges, so that when fitted together said notches 14: will form. a circular opening which corresponds exactly with the diameter of the journal between plates 5 and 6. The thickness of the adjustable plate Will depend on the Width of the dust-guard chamber-that is to say, its thickness plus the thickness of plates 5 and 6 should be equal to the width of the dust-guard chamber, so as to snugly fill the same, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, and in order that this adjustable plate may snugly embrace thejour' nal at all times each section 13 is provided with a bow or semi-elliptical spring 16, said springs having slots 17 in their ends engaging pins 15, projecting from said plate-sections, as shown clearly in Fig. 3.

To secure the dust-guard in operative position, the plate 18, forming the upper wall of the dust-guard chamber, is removed. The spring connected plates 5 and 6 are then pressed together suificiently and fitted down in the dust-guard chamber. The lower section 13 of the adjustable plate is then slipped down between plates 5 and 6 until its spring 16 rests upon the bottom of the chamber. The journal is then fitted into the box, the said section 13 being held depressed until this is accomplished, when the expansive action of the spring will press it tightly and firmly up against the journal, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1. The journal being properly placed, the upper section of the adjustable plate is then fitted down upon the journal between plates 5 and ti and the plate 18 resecured in position, so as to cause spring 16 of the upper section 13 to press down upon the journal and in conjunction with the lower section 13 forajoint with the journal, which will reliably exclude all dust, the same being prevented from entering the box around said adjustable plate bedust-guard chamber.

cause the plates 5 and 6 are pressed by springs 10 firmly against the opposite walls of the It will thus be seen that I have produced a dust-guard which will accommodate itself to dust-guard chambers of varying dimensions and proportions; also, a-dust guard which is self-adjustable, so as to compensate for Wear by the frictional action thereon of the journal, and in this connection it will be noted that as it is liquid-proof a great saving in oil will be effected.

It will be understood, of course, that while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the invention it is susceptible of various changes as regards the form, proportion,detail construction,and arrangement of the parts without departing from the essential spirit and scope or sacrificing any of the advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what I'claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A dust-guard for journal-boxes,comprising a pair of plates fitting upon the journal within thedust-guard chamberand held yieldingly against the Walls of said chamber, a plate of sectional construction between said pair of plates, the sections having registering notches which conjointly formacircularopening, and means for pressing the sections of said last-named plate yieldingly against the journal, substantially as described.

2. A d ust-guard for journal-boxes,comprising a pair of plates fitting upon the journal within the dust-guard chamber, springs holding said plates pressed yieldingly apart, a

, scribed.

3. Adust-guard forjournal-boxes,comprising a pair of plates fitting against the walls of the journal-box through which the journal projects and provided with registering holes receiving the journal, a plate consisting of two sections fitting snugly between the firstnamed plates and provided with registering notches embracing the journal, and springs for forcing said sections firmly against said journal, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ROGERS.

Witnesses:

H. O. RODGERS, G. Y. THORPE.- 

